River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-12-01

stations. whose red and green lights
giared at Us an instant like the eyes of
kindred demons. and the next instant
were buried again in the black gulf;
dashing over crossings and over roads.
on and still on we went with the swift
ness of a whirlwind.
Il knew that there was a freight
not many miles ahead. In a few
minutes we would inevitably dash in
to il, and not a mothers son on either
train could be saved. The thought
came upon me with such an appalling
rush that inyOluntarily reached out
To blow the whistle. With catlike
qnickness Ziel struck my hand down.
and fell over in a heap on my box.
The machine was rocking and tum-
bling ahout more wildly than ever
The conductor evidently knew that
something was wrong for he rang
several times 10 stop. The maniac en-
gineer only laughed. and. tearing the
bell from the roof. flung il through
the window. l grew frantic. Ziel
yelled to me 10 throw in more coal
A moment later he cried: Ohio! / see.
/ seel Warm her up. Bob. warm her
up, / see what's rObbing her of all her
heat. I'll fix that all right I'll fix
that. you betr
dashed through the front door of the
cab. The next instant the headlight
flashed out-we were rushing along
into utter darkness. But | snatched
my opportunity, terrified as | was |
grasped the whistle valve and began
to blow the alarm. Its first hoarse
below brought back the maniac on a
Jump / crouched rs he sprang for
me. and picking up the monkey
wrench. struck at him. The blow fell
on his breast 1t half staggered him.
but he rushed at me again.
just at that instant the baggage
car door opened and / heard shout
and saw men standing in the light.
Ziel halted as the glare fell upon his
face-such a hideous face as | never
saw before. and pray heaven | may
never see again. Then he turned sud-
denly and made another plunge in my
direction. was too quick for him this
time. The monkey wrench fell square
on his head. He dropped back into
the coal box like a bag of sand.
Il sprang to the valve. snatched off
the slodge. turned on the air-brakes,
and reversed her in a way that
knocked half the seats in the passenger
cars over. and threw nearly every body
in the sleepers from their berths. We
were Just rounding a curve and l caught
sight Of the tail lights of the freight
1t seemed to me within touching dis
lance. turned half around TO jump
from the cab and saw that Franklin's
body was not in the coal box-and
then fell in a swOOn.
Il was told afterwards that Franklin
had been found walking on the track
behind the train. and. Incredible as it
may seem. this was the fact. The
train had stopped with the engine
pilot not three feet from the eaboose
Of the freight The sudden
Jar must have thrown off Ziel.
who had apparently only been stunned
after all by my blow. He had a fear
full cash in his head. but seemed TO be
rs rational rs any human being could
be when he got up TO where the train
halted. b ut he could not remember a
SINGLE incident of that fearful night.
drunk? No. sir; he wasn't drunk;
hadn't touched liquor for months. De-
tectiyeS looked into that, and traced
all his movements for days before that
wild experience. Franklin was taken
down with brain fever after ward. how
ever. but he recovered. Some years
ago he became 4 conductor on the New
York, New Haven & Hartford road.
He finally retired. and bought himself
cozy home in Milford. Conn. There
was no return of any brain trouble
until two years ago, when he
went crazy permanently. He is now
in the asylum for insane in Mid
dletown. Conn.
las for myself. never want TO go
through another such n ght. Track
men told me that they never could I'M
derstand how that train kept the rails
IdOn't know that any more than know
Just why my hair has been white ever
since hat fearful night; but it's tact
Just the same. It's also fact. though.
rs l said before. I'm not superstitious,
that | never have made a trip sin ce
then on an engine with thirteen in its
- ITs.o.,s.sr Nsg.s